To See the Truth, To Know the Lie
by KoreanMusicFan
Summary: Harry starts his 3rd Yr at Hogwarts after a long hot summer spent with his relatives. He is hiding a secret he will do anything to keep and has withdrawn into himself and only finds comfort in his books, whats more he has started keeping a diary. What is going on with the boy hero? What happened over the summer? Mentions of child abuse, SmartHarry, RW&GW bashing and minor HG is AU.
1. prologue

**Title: To See the Truth, To Know the Lie**

**Summary:** Harry starts his 3rd Year at Hogwarts after a long hot summer spent with his relatives. He is hiding a secret he will do anything to keep and has withdrawn into himself and only finds comfort in his books. What's more he has started keeping a diary. What is going on with the boy hero? What happened over the summer? Mentions of child abuse, Smart Harry. There will be Ron Weasley and Ginny Weasley bashing and minor Hermione Granger bashing. This story is AU and differs slightly from the events of PA. The story dates will be the same but I will incorporate modern technology into the story, such as iPods, Laptops and game consoles as well as music just because I can.

**Pairings:** None at this moment in time. They are under consideration.

**Characters:** Harry Potter, OC – Elizabeth Appleberry, Neville Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Fred and George Weasley, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley. (All as minor and major characters.)

**A/N:** Hello, I know that I have another story that I am writing at the moment but it seems that my muse for chapter three of Back Again has decided to take an unwelcome holiday while this story was becoming relentless at being written so here it is.

Before I leave you with the disclaimer I will apologise for how short this first chapter is. It is just the Prologue, a quick look into Harry's mind before he ran from his aunt and uncle's house as well as an insight to his everyday life that will mentioned from time to time throughout the story. It will be written the same way I will write his diary entries.

Alright I think that is everything I need to mention, so enjoy the prologue and look forward to the first chapter that is still in the works and is looking to be completed by tomorrow night at the earliest.

**Disclaimer:** I do NOT own anything from Harry Potter all rights belong to J.K Rowling and Bloomsbury! I only lay claim to my OC Elizabeth Appleberry. Any similarities between my story and others are purely coincidental.

**_((Added 26_****_th_****_ May 2014) Yes this chapter has not been through any huge changes but some has been corrected by _****_OrnateDragon_********_who has agreed to Beta this story when she can, so a huge thank you to you OrnateDragon for finding the time to make sure my chapters are ok.)_**

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Prologue

July 15th 1993

_Diary,_

_Why did I do something so stupid?_

_How could I let my temper get the better of me?_

_At the start of the summer I swore not to do anything that would cause me pain, and what did I go and do? I blew up my uncle's sister using the very thing he hates._

_Magic._

_The pain uncle Vernon put me through after aunt Marge had been returned by the ministry with her memory altered was dealt with quick strokes of his belt buckle. I never cried out, I knew if I did he would hit all the harder._

_I'm now locked in my room after today's punishment of extra chores, lack of meals and Vernon's own brand of punishment. The week since the Aunt Marge fiasco has dragged by at a snail's pace, though if I think about it now, a snail could have outpaced this week. My chores are the same as before only now I have to do them all again the next day in addition to whatever else needs to be done. I cook all the meals throughout the day, I clean each room and anything in it from top to bottom, and I make sure that both the front and back garden are neat, I weed and water them, I cut the grass, I pain the shed and fences, I clean the windows and plant new bulbs and seeds EVERY DAY!_

_I am then thrown into my room after I have cooked dinner, and about two hours later as they go to bed a cold tin of soup is pushed through the cat flap in my door. I need to get out of here; everything that I managed to save from my trunk before it was locked under the stairs up has already been packed into my rucksack and hidden until I get the chance to run._

_It's lucky that I had the twins teach me how to pick locks, though after last year they were more than happy to help me. I will pick the locks on my door and then finally the cupboard under the stairs. Then all I need to do is walk, walk far and fast. I've read about a bus that comes if you put out your wand arm at the side of the road, I will try that and hope for the best._

_My aunt and uncle have finally fallen asleep if the sounds from their room are anything to go by._

_This is my chance, I'm going tonight, I'll write again tomorrow to tell how it went._

_Wish me luck!_


	2. A Dinner Time Panic!

A/N: Please Read This!

Hello, I hope that you enjoyed the peep into Harry's mind in the prologue. Remember that this chapter does not carry on from the last but skips backwards to the two weeks leading up to Harry running from the Dursley's.

A big thank you to Prince of Miracles, Glitterinmyveins, Alikat76 for adding this story to their favourites, to 917brat, Glitterinmyveins, Prince of Miracles, Babygodgirl89, Doxiesmom14, for following this story and to Liz Merryfeather for your review. I hope that you all continue to support this story.

As for pairings, as of this moment in time I have no pairing in mind but I will listen to your suggestions should you want one. So look on my profile for the poll and vote, should you want Harry with anyone PM me or place it in your review and I will add it to the poll.

Remember that this story is AU as in alternate universe and not canon and writer can do what they like with the stories plot. So my dear readers, the story dates will be the same but I will incorporate modern technology into the story, such as iPods, Laptops and game consoles as well as music just because I can. *sticks tongue out*

Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything from Harry Potter, all rights belong to J.K Rowling and Bloomsbury! I know it's sad but I can only lay claim to my OC Elizabeth Appleberry. Any similarities between my story and others are purely coincidental.

**_((Added 26_****_th_****_ May 2014) A huge thank you to OrnateDragon who checked over this chapter for me!)_**

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A Dinner Time Panic.

It was another bright sunny day in Little Whinging, Surrey. The air was humid, the sun baking anything that stayed in its warm embracing rays for too long. There was little to no wind to speak of too cool those unlucky enough to be stuck outside for prolonged periods of time.

In one of the more respected areas of Little Whinging, a place called Privet Drive, lives a small family of four though 3 of them wish that the fourth would disappear from their lives. The family consisted of two 13 year olds and two middle aged adults. The oldest of the teens, a great lump of a boy called Dudley Dursley, had sandy blonde hair that was always well kept and trimmed monthly so that it stayed neat, small blue watery eyes that almost looked pig like in appearance and rather looks like a baby blue whale but without the intelligence to match.

The youngest of the household, Harry Potter had shoulder length raven hair with blue-ish looking lowlights and highlights when light hits it in certain ways that refuses to be any other length, eyes that will take anyone's breath away from the stunning colour that they are, since his eyes are a perfect blend of dark emerald, grass and apple green mixed together to create one single shade of green. He was small for his age but even though he was small he had lean wiry muscles and a developing six pack that many would die for if he could fill out some, he was also skinny and wore glasses that looked like they would break at any moment as they were once again being held together by tape.

The two adults, his aunt and uncle, were Petunia and Vernon Dursley. Petunia Dursley was thin with blonde hair and had a neck that could rival a giraffe's which was put to good use as she hung over garden fences spying on her neighbours. Vernon Dursley on the other hand was the complete opposite of his wife, he was large and twice his height in width, and had no neck to speak of. He also had blonde hair and watery blue eyes like his son only he looked like a giant over grown walrus.

This seemingly normal family had a secret that they did not want others to know, well they had a number really but the main one that horrified them the most was that their nephew was a wizard. They had a way they viewed the world and anything that did not fit in their preconceived boxes of 'normal' they hated and so they hated the poor boy they were forced to take in on that November morning because he could use magic.

The day was going normally for Harry, he was after all used to being forced to work from half six in the morning. Now he was working out in the garden pulling weeds and planting new bulbs ready for them to bloom in late August to early September, after mowing the grass both out the front of the house and the back. He was hoping to finish soon as he had worked through midday meaning that he had worked through the midday sun when the sun was at its highest and hottest.

Now anybody in the health profession or anyone with a brain for that matter could tell you the dangers of staying in the sun to long and that you should always find shade at midday to stay out of the sun when it is shining at its fullest, but here Harry was working in the midday sun trying not to faint from the heat of the sun and the pain of the blisters forming on his sunburned back and shoulders.

It was at times like these that he hated his so called family, barely restraining the urge to hex them. While his uncle was at work his aunt was sitting in the coolness of the living room watching TV with Dudley while they both had drinks of chilled lemonade, while he was stuck out in the sun battling sun stroke, weeds and pain from his blistered skin. It was with a sigh of relief when he pulled up the last weed and completed his last task for the day other than cooking his 'relatives' food.

Walking over to the tap at the side of the house, he washed the dirt off his hands and stepped into the coolness of the house and started making lunch for his aunt and cousin. He hoped that me might get something but doubted it; he made chilled cucumber soup with salad for his aunt and a large number of bacon and egg sandwiches for Dudley. Upon calling them into the kitchen to eat his aunt moved over to a cupboard and handed him salted crackers and a lump of cheese.

"Eat that, clean up the kitchen then you can go to your room until you're called to make the dinner. Do you understand?" she spoke in her shrill voice.

"Yes aunt Petunia." was the response. He ate, cleaned and then took himself up to the bathroom to take a shower with cold water to cool down his abused skin after which he fell on his bed with a sigh.

Looking around the room you could see a desk that was missing the bottom of one leg so was supported by a book, a old chair that creaked every time you moved in it, a bed so old that the mattress was lumpy with springs that had grown too old to be of any use anymore, a wardrobe with a door half hanging off and Hedwig's empty cage in the corner over by the window.

Hedwig to his relief was able to fly this year unlike the last; it was mainly due to Vernon stating that he was 'tired of waking to that damn birds screech during the night'. How he wished that he had his trunk up in his room with him, he was bored and was even considering going over everything he knew about potions, their uses, how to make them and all of the different ingredients that were used in potion making and their individual properties as well as what was the correct way to cut one depending on what effect you needed it to give the potion.

Sighing he was about to start doing that and decided that he should do the same for his other subjects, that way he would retain everything and refresh everything from his first two years at Hogwarts. Then he remembered what electives he had chosen, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Divination, what a joke that subject was. He only selected it because Ron had but now that he thought about it, what real use did the subject have even if he knew he had a slight talent for it somehow? Heaving himself up, he walked over to the desk and wrote a note to Professor McGonagall asking if he could change his electives. He wanted to drop divination and take up Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Latin; those three subjects would come in useful in later life no matter what he chose to do when he left Hogwarts.

The rest of the week carried on the same way, he would get up at 6am to shower, dress then go down to the kitchen for 6:30 where he would clean the table and set it for breakfast then start preparing the bacon, eggs, bread, beans, sausages and so on. Once done he would start to clean up in the living room after watering the garden until 7 when he would start the breakfast so that it would be ready for when his aunt and uncle came down. Dudley hardly ever emerged from his room until 9 so he would fill the time with prepping for lunch and get started on the smaller chores of the day that Vernon would hand him.

At lunch he would serve to a waiting Dudley and Petunia eat his own meal of two sandwiches then start the clean up and the prep for dinner and finish the rest of the list. If the list was not done by the time his uncle was home Vernon would punish him his favourite way, lashes with a belt. He always found reasons to punish him, just so he knew how unwanted he was in his house. As if he needed reminding, Harry was an empath. He knew what others were feeling and as he could read people well he generally knew the reason and their thoughts behind the feeling but he was used to it and knew how to ignore it and place it at the back of his mind. The only thing he knew from his uncle when he was near him was pure hatred, disgust and when he was punishing Harry pleasure and glee.

Tonight while he was once again mentally running over potions, he felt his uncle start up the stairs and come to a stop outside his room. When the door opened he did not need his empathy to know what his uncle was thinking, 'you will listen and do as I say or else'.

"Boy!" Thundered Vernon, "Now you listen here, Marge is coming over tomorrow for a week and if I catch one whiff of any freaky business any at all you will regret that you ever saw the inside of this house, am I clear!"

"Yes sir, I understand." I would be mad to say anything else he thought, who would want to die when they were 12? But knowing how sadistic his uncle could be he would find a way to punish him but keep him alive so he could feel the pain.

"Good!" He said, eyeing him like he was a piece of dog shit on the bottom of his shoe. "Now" he continued "you will still do your chores out in the garden and the cooking but otherwise you will remain in your room, food will be brought up to you after we have eaten and we will allow you to use to bathroom but that is all."

Harry had wanted to ask this for some time but he never got the chance or had the courage to do so.

"Uncle Vernon sir, could I get some writing supplies please?" Seeing that his uncle was about to protest he quickly added. "So that I could keep a diary, you see if I write down my thoughts I could get everything of my mind and that way I would not wake up screaming from another nightmare. That way you would not wake up either."

He hoped this worked, he was indeed thinking of starting a dairy, but it would be like a journal with drawings, diagrams and the like. He would write about his first two years at Hogwarts, what he learned, who his teachers and friends were, even of his life before Hogwarts. He would also keep separate journals for each of his subjects.

"Fine but you pay for everything, fetch it yourself and stay quiet the remainder of your time here!" Vernon was no fool; he could see an opportunity for silence if he agreed. If this would stop the freak screaming awake in the middle of the night then so be it. As an afterthought he added "But if you so much as make a sound during the night so help me boy you will regret it!"

"Yes sir, thank you sir!" On the outside Harry looked submissive but on the inside he was jumping with glee, he fought to keep his face looking like he was relieved and grateful and asked. "When can I pick them up?"

"You can go now. I want you to stay in your room for the day tomorrow unless you're taking Marge's things to her room."

"Thank you uncle Vernon!" And with that Vernon stalked out of his room.

Running over to his hiding place under the floorboards Harry collected his wand and his money bag, thankful for the fact last year when he went to his vault he changed some into muggle money. Slipping both into his pockets he left the house as quickly as he could and walked to the closest shop over one mile away and bought two thick, hard backed journals, one for each year at Hogwarts, five journals for his five years at muggle primary school, one for now and two others for the time before that as what others did not know was that he had a eidetic memory meaning that he could remember everything from the time he was a few weeks old. This meant he remembered his parents' murders so it was understandable why he had told no one.

For his Hogwarts subjects he got three for each as he knew he would fill the first two up. So that was three for Astronomy, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Potions and Transfigurations for his core classes.

He also got three for each of Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures and Latin for his electives, and some for his extra-curricular classes that he takes secretly from his friends; Magical Theory, Ghoul Studies and Ancient Studies. They were told that they would be learning 5 languages for Ancient Studies so he got 5 journals for that too.

So all in all that's 56 journals, he also bought four thick art sketch pads, two A4 and two A3 for his Art extra-curricular class, two packs of ball point pens in blue, an eraser, a pencil sharpening knife, a set of art colouring pencils, pastels, chalk and two sets of art pencils and charcoal. This came to a rather impressive total of £460 and change, he handed over the money ignoring the look the man gave him and walked out of the shop and a little way into an alley so that he could wandlessly shrink the bag and placing it in his pocket but not before pulling one of the journals out of the bag. Once back at the house he showed his uncle the journal and retreated to his room until morning.

As promised he completed what he was told and went back to his room to await the arrival of Aunt Marge. He spent this time filling out his journals, he was done up till the start of summer this year and up to yesterday and had also finished writing his notes and what he knew for Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts easily filling two of the three journals for each subjects. He decided to leave Astronomy and the rest of his subjects to start on now and when he had time. Maybe he should try to get more at a later date when he went into London to get his school things.

He picked up the diary he was using to write this summer in and turned to the next clean page.

July 2nd 1993.

_Diary,_

_Today I was forced yet again to clean the back garden, I swear they want all of the dirt gone from there but they forget that the plants need the dirt to grow. It's frustrating but it can be funny at times once they realise why the mud is there.  
Aunt Marge is meant to be arriving later and I will have to haul her bags up into her room while avoiding her stupid bloody mutt of a dog Ripper. How such a small dog can have such a big chip on its shoulders I'll never know. Size complex maybe? I just hope that they will both leave me alone while they are here, I really do not want to make uncle Vernon punish me and I know he will if I so much as glare at his sister. Marge looks like a female version of uncle Vernon but shorter, though she does have the same temper. Her favourite things to scold me about are my mum and dad, my looks, why I am still living here and how I should be grateful that they kept me. If she says anything this time I don't know if I can control my temper, I hope I can. Not only would I get lashes for shouting at the damn woman I might lose control of my magic and I really don't want to imagine what he might do to me for a) using magic in the house and b) using it on his sister. *shudders* I swear I will do nothing that would course me to be punished my him for something I did while his sister was here. She knows nothing about the Wizarding World and they and I want to keep it that way!_

_I think I can hear a car pulling on to the drive. Yeah it's my uncle with his sister._

_I need to go, I don't know when I will write again._

The week went by quickly; Harry hardly saw Aunt Marge or her mutt only having to suffer her company when they were eating and then he was by the sink washing up. That was until the night before he was due to go home. She started in on the subject she loves the most after her dogs, Harry.

"I don't know how you do it Petunia, keeping the house clean and tidy with a layabout good-for-nothing delinquent lazing about the house. It would have been straight to the orphanage with him if he was dumped on my doorstep." She continued on in this manner for a while listing everything that was wrong with harry, what was lacking in his upbringing and so on. Harry managed to ignore her until she started on his mother. That he was not standing for, not when he remembered her and knew the truth.

"And that sister of yours, she was a drug addict no doubt, and a whore. Who knows who that boy's father really was?"

"Shut up." Harry said quietly but loud enough to be heard.

"What did you say boy?" thundered his uncle

"I said SHUT UP ABOUT MY MOTHER! YOU NEVER EVEN KNEW HER! HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH THINGS ABOUT HER!"

Harry's voice was echoing around the kitchen. His magic reacted to his anger and lashed out at the woman causing it. Harry stood there watching in shock and morbid fascination as his 'aunt' started to swell.

Through all this Dudley had still not noticed; he was too busy watching the TV while he ate. He noticed only when the buttons on Marge's cardigan burst and scattered across his plate, he looked up, saw his aunt floating off the floor and across the ceiling. The next button that burst off hit him right between the eyes with such force that it knocked him off his chair and onto the floor.

"DUDDERS!" came Petunia's cry as she moved to his side while avoiding other flying projectiles.

Meanwhile Vernon was trying to get her down but nothing he did helped. She floated and bobbed her way out of the kitchen and out into the garden where she was swallowed by the night.

He rounded on Harry and demanded. "BRING HER BACK, YOU BRING HER BACK RIGHT NOW!"

Harry was still stunned, he had no idea what happened. Then a thought hit him. He was dead, his uncle would kill him or come close to. "I don't know how, I don't even know what happened." Even to his own ears he sounded shocked.

But Vernon was not listening. As soon as the first don't had crossed the boy's lips, he had grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him from the room and quite literally dragged Harry up the stairs.

He threw Harry across the threshold of the room and pinned him against the wall by his throat and tightened his grip until Harry could hardly breathe. Closing the door he undid his belt; releasing his hold on Harry long enough to wrench his shirt off and make him face the wall. He started hard and fast, each hit was brutal. As he was using the side with the buckle to hit Harry each lash left a welt after the 8th or 9th hit he started drawing blood. He did not stop until the door bell sounded 20 minutes later. Satisfied he had done enough for the night he replaced his belt and went to answer the door.

Harry slid down the wall his back on fire, not only had his uncle drew blood he had burst blisters. Crying silently he moved to the loose floorboard, wincing every time he moved, and drew out the first aid kit he had placed in there.

In it were potions he had made himself as well as what he filched from Snape's cupboard. He pulled out a Blood Replenisher, Essence of Murtlap and a pain reliever. After taking both of the potions he soaked some bandages in the Murtlap and started to wrap his back, hoping this would minimise the scarring and stop infection. He knew that his back tomorrow would still look sore which was what he wanted. He knew that if he wanted to keep his first aid kit he would have to remove the bandages before his uncle saw him tomorrow.

With that he put everything away including his journals and replaced the flooring. He knew that Marge was back, the Department of Accidental Magic was his best bet. He climbed into bed with one thought running through his mind.

'What have I done?'


	3. The Plan or the Pain?

A/N: Please Read This!

Hello, so the first chapter is up and so is this one the second chapter. For those who are confused about the change of name this story has gone from 'To Improve One's Self' to 'To See the Truth, To Know the Lie' and now I have no need to look for a new name. ^_^ Also sorry about the mistakes with Harry's electives in the last chapter, he will be taking Runes, Arithmancy and Latin not just the first two.

Wow 20 followers and 11 people have this story on their favourites from only 2 posts? So for everyone who has followed, reviewed and or added me to their favourites since the last update here's a huge thank you and a shout out for; Airforce1990, Lyn1991, smartwind, Talitha Nayeli Clearwater, anarion87, daben8776, emeraldisle2728 and xxDignity for adding TStT,TKtL to your favourites. ForDorkchic, Gemma mcgimpsey, Nari88, Nighteater69, Rette, Smartwind, Talitha Nayeli Clearwater, Taz007, charm13insomnia, cozmic, emeraldisle2728, ibterismith50, nemosangel and xxDignity for Following TStT,TKtL and for Dorkchic andmadnessdownunder2 for your reviews!

Remember that this story is AU as in alternate universe and not cannon and writer can do what they like with the stories plot. So my dear readers The story dates will be the same but I will incorporate modern technology into the story, such as iPods, Laptops and game consoles as well as music just because I can. So neh *sticks tongue out*

Warning Child abuse in this chapter, I will post another warning before it starts. If you do not like reading about Child Abuse you can then skip that part.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything from Harry Potter all rights belong to J.K Rowling and Bloomsbury! I know it's sad but I can only lay claim to my OC Elizabeth Appleberry who has yet to make an appearance. Any similarities between my story and others are purely coincidental.

**_((Added 2014-05-26) Thanks to OrnateDragon for agreeing to beta my work, when I know she/he has been busy. As you will tell there are only slight changes and corrections made but I do hope you re-read the story just in case you miss anything.)_**

_He knew that his back tomorrow would still look sore which was what he wanted. He knew that if he wanted to keep his first aid kit he would to remove the bandages before his uncle saw him tomorrow. With that he put everything away including his journals and replaced the flooring. He knew that Marge was back, the department of accidental magic was his best bet. He climbed into bed with one thought running through his mind._

_What have I done?_

Chapter Two – The Plan or The Pain?

It was still dark when Harry next woke up so he had no clue how long he had been out. Rolling onto his back he felt his muscles pull and bunch in protest to the movement. Sighing he sat up and saw that it was only just getting light which meant that it was about 5:30 – 5:35 when dawn started to peek over the horizon during the summer months.

He could hear the sounds his cousin made in his sleep; they always reminded him of pigs squealing which if he thought about it matched his personality.

Getting out of bed he dug out his first aid kit again and rummaged round for a muscle relaxant so that he could at least move freely even if he was in pain, finding it he swallowed it back in one gulp ignoring the awful taste the best he could. He started to unwrap the bandages binding his back and saw that it had at least stopped bleeding but he knew that it would still scar slightly. He placed them back into the kit and hid back under the floorboard, he would wash them out later once he had the time. He started dressing and tried his door, it was locked. 'Oh shit, that means I'm dead meat once uncle Vernon's awake. He has the day off today.'.

He moved back to the loose floorboard and retrieved his journal and started to write about his thoughts and what might happen later today.

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July 9th 1993

_Diary,_

_After what happened yesterday, I know I am going to be punished worse than I was last night. Who knows what they will really do to me I will need to send Hedwig out somewhere and tell her to find me once I leave the Dursleys, I will not allow myself to spend my whole summer here. I will get away the only problem is how. I still need to send the letter to McGonagall about my electives so I can send her out then and get her to stay at Hogwarts until I'm away. I only hope that McGonagall doesn't try to send a reply with her, I might have to warn her but what to say? I will need to re-write that letter soon before the Dursleys wake up, that way she won't be here when he starts._

_Hopefully I will be able to change my electives from Care of Magical Creatures and Divination to Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Latin. I mean the maximum amount of electives we could choose was 3 and one language on top of our core classes. So that means I will have a total of 11 main subjects; Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Charms, History of Magic, Defence, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Latin, then the 4 extra-curricular subjects that I already take in the evening; Ancient Studies, Ghoul Studies, Magical Theory and Art if I am allowed to change that is._

_I'll write again soon I hope, I hear someone getting up. It sounds like Aunt Petunia, if I'm locked in she should leave me alone but I don't want to risk it, and I still need to write to McGonagall before Vernon wakes up and Hedwig gets back._

Quickly closing the journal and hiding it again, Harry started on his new letter to Professor McGonagall, grateful that he had not yet sent off the other letter as Hedwig was still out hunting. A small and quiet hoot came from behind him and he turned to see that his owl had returned.

"Hedwig, could you deliver this to Professor McGonagall please?" She swallowed her catch quickly then gave him a dirty look.

"I know you have only just returned but my uncle is angry and I want you out of harm's way. Please deliver this then stay at Hogwarts until I can get away from this house. Hagrid will be happy to look after you I'm sure."

Tilting her head to the side she hooted once affirmatively and held out her leg for the letter. "Thank you Hedwig, if my uncle hurt you I would not know what to do." Quickly rolling the letter up Harry tied it to Hedwig's leg and took her to the window. "Safe trip Hedwig." He said as she flew off.

With that done, all he had to now was to wait.

Harry had waited for 3 hours before he heard his uncle come back up the stairs towards his room. The locks on his door were being un-done one by one until Vernon opened the door. He had a look of pure contempt and glee on his face as he came closer and grabbed Harry by the scruff of his collar, pulling him up off the bed and threw him against the wall.

"Right Boy, now you're in for it." As he said this he was undoing his belt with one hand while making sure that Harry stayed facing the wall, but of course this did not stop Harry from hearing the clinking of the belt buckle as it was being undone, nor the sound of the belt being pulled through the loops. "Take your shirt off and lean against the wall you freak! NOW!" Jumping at the harsh sound and his shout Harry complied and quickly took his shirt off and placed his hands out in front of him and braced himself on the wall.

* * *

CHILD ABUSE AHEAD

Harry felt each blow like it had been the first, one lash, five lashes, fifteen lashes, twenty five lashes, it went on and on. In the end Harry lost count of how many he had been given. He refused to cry out, to give his uncle that satisfaction of knowing that he hurt. Biting his lip he drew blood as the hits came harder and faster, the pain in his back was unbelievable yet he stood still and endured it hoping that his uncle would stop soon. It never happened instead Vernon had become frustrated and started thinking, what would make it hurt more? What can I do to cause him pain? Then it came to him, use the side with the belt buckle.

So he did.

Harry gasped in shock as the pain seemed to double suddenly, feeling the belt lick against his skin once more he noticed the difference, the side that was hitting his back now had a cold piece of metal at the end. 'That bastard! He's using the buckle to double the pain, there's no chance now that I can stop the skin from scarring. If there is any skin left to scar once he's done'. That was Harry's last thought as he slipped into unconsciousness from blood loss.

END OF CHILD ABUSE

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This was the pattern for the next week, Wake up, make the Dursleys' breakfast, do the chores, make lunch, do more chores or redo some because of Dudley, make the dinner, get whipped or even on some occasions beaten up with Dudley joining his father for a bit of father–son bonding. Every day Harry would get up wishing to be elsewhere, anywhere else just so he could escape from the pain that was coursing through his body every time he moved even the smallest muscle. Then at night when the next round of punishment came he would pass out after 20 minutes and not wake up again until the next morning. Every time he woke up he wondered if he would the next time. His only comfort was his journal; every morning before his relatives woke up he would write what had happened the day before just to get it off his chest. As each day passed, Harry lost hope in someone coming for him and each day he died a little bit inside and lost faith in those he thought he knew.

By the time the 14th of July rolled around Harry had started to take things into his own hands, he was planning to escape. He had planned a little each day and took what he could find from around the house that would not be missed if it could help him get away from the house. He now had everything he needed to get away. Now all he needed to do was wait for the right moment to make sure that he could get away cleanly, without them finding out until the next morning when they came to wake him.

Sitting down at his desk he pulled his journal towards him and started outlining his plan in it. He even created a check list so that he would not leave anything behind.

* * *

July 14th 1993

_Diary,_

_I can't take any more. Not of what my so called family call a punishment. They beat me unconscious and then they still carry on, my back is so full of scabs now that each time I move I crack at least two of them open. My small amount of medical supplies have dried up, I have none left, not even a blood replenisher or pain reducer. Without them I know I will die before I get back to Hogwarts, if I was to list my injuries simply it would be bruised or broken ribs, bones healed incorrectly, cuts, bruises and lacerations covering every other inch of my body. But the thing that scares me the most is that when I'm unconscious, I don't know what they do to me._

_I need help and no one is offering it, I have heard nothing from any of my friends since the first week of summer, Hedwig is away safe at Hogwarts so I can't use her to ask for help. I have to do it myself, if I can't save myself how can I save the Wizarding World? Yes I know about Dumbledore's plans. I know that I am in his eyes at least meant to be the one to kill Voldemort once he had found a way to return. A five year old could work out that is what he is trying to do. The Stone in my first year? The diary in my second? Even a pigmy puff could work it out!_

_Back on topic; I have a hair pin I can use to pick the locks on my door and on the cupboards to get out and to get my things. I have added an undetectable extension charm wandlessly to my rucksack so that everything can fit into it so I leave nothing behind. I do not plan on coming back no matter what the headmaster says. I. WILL. NOT. DO. IT! T_

_thank god the ministry cannot track wandless magic, not if it's deliberate. Without it he would have lost his subject journals and other supplies, I could use it to shrink Hedwig's cage and my trunk and fit them into my rucksack. I have some money left over from last year when I was at Hogwarts so I can use that to stay the night or the remainder of the time before Hogwarts at the Leaky Cauldron or somewhere else in London close to Diagon Ally._

_Check list:_

_Hairpin to pick the locks._

_Money both muggle and wizard._

_Undetectable extension charm on rucksack._

_Undetectable feather weight charm on rucksack._

_Everything shrunk down – Owl cage, School Trunk etc._

_Everything brought up from under the loose floorboard._

_Everything packed into rucksack._

_I plan to leave early in the morning tomorrow before dawn while I know that the Dursleys are fast asleep. That way I will be in the clear, all I will need to do is keep as quiet as possible. I'll write again before I leave tomorrow._

That day Harry worked harder than ever before to keep his aunt and uncle from suspecting anything. He completed all of his chores early so was tasked with cleaning out the loft. Up there looked like a bomb had gone off at some point or that the school's pet trouble maker Peeves had been bouncing around the place. He set to work and had most of it completed by the time he was called to make the dinner before Vernon got home.

"Have you finished the loft yet freak?" Came his aunt's voice while he was cooking.

"No not yet aunt Petunia, I still have one corner left to clean then I will be done."

"Well it had better be done before you go to bed boy or you will regret it, am I understood!" she shrieked

"Yes aunt Petunia I understand." With that she left the kitchen to watch TV with Dudley leaving him to finish cooking. He had just plated up the food when Mr. Dursley came through into the kitchen.

"Where's my food boy!" he demanded sitting down at the head of the table.

"It's here sir." Harry replied placing his uncle's plate down before him. The plate was full to over flowing with enough food to feed three people. He placed the other two plates down at the open spaces at the table and called in his aunt and cousin.

"Good dinner is done, don't bother with the washing up tonight I will be doing it. Is the pudding in the fridge?"

"Yes aunt Petunia" voiced Harry. Knowing that he was being sent back up into the loft to finish cleaning.

"Good, you are to finish cleaning the loft then you are to go and stay in your room!" Harry just stood there not believing that he was not being given any more chores to do. "Well, what are you standing there for? GO!"

"Yes aunt Petunia, sorry aunt Petunia." Squeaked Harry as he ran from the room as fast as he dared.

One hour later, Harry was just finishing up the loft when he spotted something over in the far corner of the space. Making his way over, he saw that it was a trunk. On closer inspection he saw the initials L.I.E on the lid. Harry was stunned, it was his mothers Hogwarts trunk.

"BOY ARE YOU DONE YET?" Thundered his uncle up the stairs.

"Yes uncle Vernon sir, I'm on my way down now."

"Good, once you're down you have 5 minutes in the bathroom before your being locked in your room"

"Yes Sir" he replied. Quickly he shrunk his mother's trunk and put it in his pocket and made his way down after turning off the light.

After being locked in his room, he started packing as quickly and quietly as he could knowing that his uncle would pay him a visit later before he turned in for the night. He pulled up the floorboard and took everything out of it and placed it into his rucksack, he then shrunk Hedwig's cage after taking it from where it was hidden out of sight and placed that into the bag. He took the trunk out of his pocket and placed it into the trunk also. No matter how much he may have wanted to look inside it now, he knew he had no time if he was to pull this off. With everything of personal value packed into the rucksack he sat on his bed and waited.

After his uncle had come and gone, he sat and waited for them all to be deeply asleep before he attempted to unlock his door and leave.

It was past 1 in the morning before he could leave.

* * *

July 15th 1993

_Diary,_

_I'm now locked in my room after today's punishment of extra chores, lack of meals and Vernon's own brand of punishment. The week since the Aunt Marge fiasco has dragged by at a snail's pace, though if I think about it now, a snail could have outpaced this week. My chores are the same as before only now I have to do them all again the next day in addition to whatever else needs to be done. I cook all the meals throughout the day, I clean each room and anything in it from top to bottom, and I make sure that both the front and back garden are neat, I weed and water them, I cut the grass, I pain the shed and fences, I clean the windows and plant new bulbs and seeds EVERY DAY!_

_I am then thrown into my room after I have cooked dinner and about two hours later as they go to bed a cold tin of soup is pushed through the cat flap in my door. I need to get out of here; everything that I managed to save from my trunk before it was locked under the stairs up has already been packed into my rucksack and hidden until I get the chance to run._

_It's lucky that I had the twins teach me how to pick locks, though after last year they were more than happy to help me. I will pick the locks on my door and then finally the cupboard under the stairs. Then all I need to do is walk, walk far and fast. I've read about a bus that comes if you put out your wand arm at the side of the road, I will try that and hope for the best._

_My aunt and uncle have finally fallen asleep if the sounds from their room are anything to go by._

_This is my chance, I am going tonight, I'll write again tomorrow to tell how it went._

_Wish me luck!_

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**A/N; Please read before you leave!**

**So there you have it, Chapter two. I know I said it would be called something else but this fit chapter better. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and I hope you leave a comment to tell me what you think about it.**

**On another note, the poll results are in and as it stands they are;**

**1a, Yes Harry should have someone. – 7 Votes**

**1b, No this story should remain as a general Fic – 5 Votes**

**1c, I'm not bothered the choice is yours – 3 Votes**

**2a, Yes this story should be Het with all the girls around Hogwarts how hard can it be to find one? – 2 Votes**

**2b, No shounen Ai would be better much more chance to have awkward moments – 8 Votes**

**2c,How about a Bi Harry? – 1 Vote**

**3a, Harry should have a mentor to help guide him? – 12 Votes**

**3b, No, Harry is fine leaning on his friends – 4 Votes.**

**So by the looks of it, Harry will have a mentor and will be in a relationship. A HUGE thank you to ****Dorkchic**** who has suggested to me some great ideas about this poll and I will be using some of them. However, I will still be placing polls about each of these topics on my profile one after the other just to see what the rest of you think as I might be able to change or adapt.**

**So thanks again for reading this chapter and as you can see that big empty box below use it please and tell me what you think. Although no flames please, just constructive criticism please.**

**KoreanMusicLover xXx**


	4. Authors Notice - Re-editing ahead

**A/N; Hi all, just a quick note to say that the first three posts are going to be undergoing re-editing and a beta, so in the future you might notice some changes to them. This will happen before I post the 3rd chapter as i do not want to write it then have to begin again as it does not flow from the chapter before it.**

_**If there are any problems within the story so far that you have noticed please either review or PM me to point it out so that i can correct them.**_

**Also remember that this Harry is Smart and will have really good grades but he is not a genius, he is just a hard worker and a big reader putting most Ravenclaws and Hermione to shame. Yes he might have some gifts but they do not make him a 'Super Harry' they are just a part of him.**

**The poll for Harry's Partner is up on my profile so take a look and vote. Just remember the poll is for me to know what you would like to see but is by no means definitive. **

**KoreanMusicFan xXx**


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